Trump pushes 'America First' in Davos in wake of report he tried to fire Mueller
Davos, Switzerland (CNN) - President Donald Trump on Friday pushed his "America First" message abroad as news broke at home that he had tried to fire the special counsel investigating him.
Trump did not address the bombshell report that he had tried to fire Robert Mueller, who is investigating alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia for 2016 election meddling as well as possible obstruction of justice charges against the President. Instead, he stuck closely to a script that emphasised favourable conditions for making money in the United States.
Sounding at moments like the president of a local chamber of commerce, Trump declared "there has never been a better time to do business in America."
He insisted that his "America First" governing agenda would not prevent him from negotiating bilateral trade agreements as long as they favor American interests.
It was only after his speech concluded that Trump strayed from his pro- business platitudes and into the brash pronouncements about the media and Democrats that usually pepper his speeches.
Deriding the "nasty, mean, and fake" news media, Trump drew boos and hisses from the crowd of global elites, a break from the otherwise polite reception he received here at the yearly summit for the world's ultra-wealthy.
The President's tone was muted during much of his address, particularly compared to the booming enthusiasm he has shown on the campaign trail when railing against globalization, yet his words were upbeat. He sought to drive a hard bargain for global businesses to increase their investment in the United States.
"America is roaring back and now is the time to invest in the future of America," Trump said, pointing to tax cuts, regulatory reform and new energy resources.
Presidents often use foreign travel to distract from controversy back home, and in Davos, Trump sought to divert the spotlight from the developments involving special counsel Robert Mueller. But the Russia probe, which has clouded his presidency, remains front-of-mind for many in the well-read crowd here.
Executives, entrepreneurs and political leaders gathered at this mountainside village had been awaiting Trump's remarks to the World Economic Forum with a sense of dread, fearing he'd use the platform to shame global elites in the same manner he railed against them during his populist presidential campaign.
And while the President did tout the commercial benefits of his "America First" agenda -- a climate of competitive taxes and relaxed regulations -- he downplayed the resentments and anger that have colored his previous assessments of the global financial elite.
He proclaimed that policies must be focused on improving conditions for "forgotten people," a theme he campaigned upon as a presi- dential candidate.
"When people are forgotten, the world becomes fractured," he said. "Only by hearing and responding to the voices of the forgotten can we create a bright future that is truly shared by all."
White House officials say Trump's remarks in Davos served as a prelude to elements of the President's first
State of the Union address next week in Washington.
An honest discussion on trade was not featured in the speech, including how withdrawing from the TransPacific Partnership has left the United States on the sidelines as the role of China and other countries rise. Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau used his appearance at Davos to announce the finalization of the TPP agreement -- without the United States.
Trump did, however, declare that his administration would consider negotiating Pacific trade agreements "either individually or perhaps as a group, if it is in the interests of all."